


go

by kwtgw (akowotagawa)



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Genre: Board Games, Canon Universe, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:31:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25000165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akowotagawa/pseuds/kwtgw
Summary: "And what should I give you if you win?" Shikadai asked, expecting an answer to be on the tip of the other’s tongue. Instead, Boruto made a show of pondering with a characteristically confident smile displayed on his lips."How about," he said, blue eyes glinting under the light of the moon, "A kiss."
Relationships: Nara Shikadai/Uzumaki Boruto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 69





	go

i.

"So you want to learn how to play strategy games."

"You bet." Boruto said, "Look I even got my old man to buy me a new go board! Just to start off." 

Shikadai watched him place the nine by nine checkered slab on the engawa followed by a bag that was full of glass stones if the sound it made when it met the wooden floor was any indicator of its contents. He eyed his friend who was looking back at him with a determined look on his face. This certainly wasn’t what Boruto usually visited his house to play since video games were also a mutual interest but this development was an interesting one. 

“Deal.” 

Shikdai shrugged before they both sat down on opposite ends of the new board, very conscious about the way Boruto beamed at his response. The equipment was the smallest of its kind which meant they were close enough to bump their foreheads together if they leant forward any further. Shikadai didn’t complain. The bigger the go board the more difficult the game. It was best to use a smaller one for the lesson after all.

"Teaching is such a drag.” he voiced, emptying the bag as Boruto sorted the black stones from white, “How about we make this a little more interesting."

“We can play with jelly beans next time.” Boruto snickered.

Shikdai snorted. He tried not to get distracted by their proximity. Recently he was noticing Boruto’s tendency to make him lose track of his thought process when he got too close. He was so all encompassing in those moments. With his blue eyes, whiskered cheeks and bright yellow hair. Shikadai’s mind was helpless, left only with the ability to conjure the boy before him and contemplate him and him alone. If he was honest with himself he’d admit it was exhilarating. But alas, as someone whose thinking was sharp enough to be weaponized, the resulting defenselessness would have been a source of terror had he not trusted his friend wholeheartedly.

“If a player captures a jelly bean stone they get to eat it?” he said, finishing the other’s thought, “That’s actually a good idea.”

Boruto smiled, completely unaware of the effect he had on the other. Perhaps that was for the best Shikdai guessed, flipping a stone in the air between them as if it were a coin. He hid his satisfaction when Boruto looked at him in awe as he performed his trick, revealing two stones in his hand rather than the one that was seemingly tossed in the air. 

“Alright then. Let’s begin by going over the rules of the game.”

ii.

Go was difficult. That was what Boruto had left the Nara house thinking that evening with his board tucked beneath his arm. Of course, every other thought involved being enamoured with his best friend and his ability to explain concepts in a way that professional teachers would be envious of. He lost his first match to Shikadai but Boruto did not let that disappoint him. He had an ulterior motive. He was going to try and beat Shikadai at his own game.

iii.

“Why are you doing this by the way?” Shikadai asked midway through setting up the board the following day. He wasn’t surprised that they were actually using candy this time but a part of him still found the sight of the half eaten bag of jellybeans sitting on Boruto’s lap to be an endearing one. 

“Doing what?” he asked, and Shikadai noticed a hint of nervousness in his voice. 

“This.” he prodded, gesturing to the game in front of them, “Coming over to learn go strategy instead of playing video games. Not that I mind.”

Somewhere a cicada’s buzzing could be heard over the flow of the sozu fountain’s water. Boruto's ears looked like they’d be warm to the touch when he spoke. A faint dust of pink on his cheeks gave him away.

“Well I wanted to see what goes on upstairs for you,” he said, tapping his headband, “And I like it when we spend time. Even if there’s no video games involved.”

Shikadai grinned at the response and shoved Boruto backwards lightly.

“Cheese.”

“Yeah? And you love it.” he said, pushing back.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

The fluttering in Shikadai’s heart did not stop until Boruto had left after sunset and his parents called him to set the table for dinner. 

iv.

“Alright, alright. Final match. Let’s up the ante. Let’s make it good-ttebasa.” Boruto said, rubbing his hands together as if he were hatching a plan, “If you win, your next visit to Thunder Burger’s on me.”

Shikadai nodded to accept the terms of their contract. His chin was resting on his hands as he gazed at the board while lying on his stomach, legs moving back and forth in the air lazily. They had been playing for an entire day without any breaks now. It was already nightfall and Boruto had called his parents to get permission for a sleepover which was easily granted under the condition that they go to bed soon.

"And what should I give you if you win?" Shikadai asked, expecting an answer to be on the tip of the other’s tongue. Instead, Boruto made a show of pondering with a characteristically confident smile displayed on his lips. 

"How about," he said, blue eyes glinting under the light of the moon, "A kiss." 

Shikadai stilled and blinked back at him incredulously.

Had he heard his friend right? Was he being obvious? No. That couldn’t be. This had to be yet another convoluted prank. Boruto seemed to be reveling in the fact that he had taken the intelligent, calm and collected Nara Shikadai off guard with his response. As soon as he noticed Shikadai showed no sight of recovering from his petrified state he looked concerned. Maybe even guilty. In his head Shikadai missed the other’s usual grin as soon as it had disappeared. 

v.

This was bad. Boruto’s heart was racing a mile a minute. He had made a mistake. A grave mistake. If he closed his eyes he could already see flashes of his friendship with Shikadai as if he were cherishing everything they had between them before he’d gone and ruined it all. 

"If...if you don't want to that’s okay. I can pick something el-" he began sincerely. Before Boruto could finish, however, he felt himself being pulled towards Shikadai by the collar and a press of the other's lips against his own. He let out a gasp against the softness of Shikadai's mouth, surprise slowly dissipating as he melted at the touch.

“Won’t be necessary.” he whispered against Boruto’s lips, beautiful eyelashes brushing against his skin. Boruto laughed and kissed him back. Shikadai had won every game of go they had played but Boruto counted this as a major victory. One that, much like a kiss or a good game of go, was sweeter when it was shared amongst the two of them. 

**Author's Note:**

> * holds shikadai and boruto * i just think they're neat
> 
> kudos (and especially comments) keep me writing!


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